Connections for terminals to a printed circuit board are often arranged in two parallel rows, one row close to the board and the other row above the first further from the circuit board. Tight tolerances are applied to the location of the terminals and three mutually perpendicular planes with respect to the circuit board and to the molded connector shell which surrounds the terminals. The angular orientation of the terminals must also be closely controlled so that the proper fit with the mating connector can be assured. The terminals must also be supported so as to adequately resist the push and pull forces associated with connecting and disconnecting the mating connector. The location and orientation of the terminal must be maintained after assembly to the circuit board, down the assembly conveyor, through wave soldering and through assembly into the module housing.
Current methods of supporting such terminals involve pushing the terminals individually or in groups, into closely fitting slots in a plastic wall. Since both the slots and the terminals are subject to dimensional variations, control of location and orientation is limited. Barbs on the terminals which engage the sides of the slots are sometimes used to resist pushout.